There is a long history of attempts to build machines to play chess. The first significant results were achieved with large permanently installed digital computers; however, to date no computer chess play has been developed which can approach the play of a chess grandmaster. Attempts to implement an electronic chess game for mass markets have followed two approaches. The first is so simplistic as to offer little challenge, while the second attempts to employ a relatively expensive micro-processor to cope with the astronomical number of combinations possible in open chess play. A technical distinction between the two approaches is that the simpler system does not employ decision branching, while the open play system needs virtually infinite branching to prove effective.
This invention provides a pocket-size portable electronic device which achieves a satisfactory balance between the above mentioned approaches by permitting a degree of branching which enables the user to solve chess problems in a novel and challenging manner on a convenient and inexpensive electronic hardware implementation.